Guard-rail brace-plate.



PATENTED' AUG. 21, 1906.

G. W MBRRELL.

, GUARDRAIL BRAGE'PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1906.

c jvwanfoz ritual-an sra rns GUKUON W. MERRELL, OF ROANOKE, VIRGlNlA.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1906.

Application filed May 15,1906. Serial No. 316.993.

To (11/ Mimi/1t may concern.-

Beit known that I, GURDON W. MnRnnLL, a c1t1zen of the United States,residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and tains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to certain new and 4 useful improvements in meansfor securing guard-rails of railroads in proper position and maintainingthe same in such position.

lt is well known to those familiar with railroad construction thatguard-rails are absolutely necessary at many points in railroad-tracks,and particularly on curves, to prevent the wheel in any truck of apassing engine or train from mounting and crossing over the' outside ofthe curve. This guardrail is located between the two track-rails and sonear the rail on the inside of the curve that it will engage the flangeof the wheel and prevent the opposite wheel from mounting the outsiderail. As the weight and size of rails have steadily increased, manyrailroads are using rails of such width at the base that two rails laidside by side are necessarily (owing to the width of base) too far apartfor one of said rails to act as a guard-rail for the other, owing to theconsequent distance between the tops of the rails being so great that awheel on the outside may mount the outside rail before the flange of theopposite wheel would contact with the guard-rail, and hence theguard-rail loses its efllciency.

My invention is designed to overcome the conditions referred to and torovide a guard-rail brace-plate for use un er guardrails, which shalltilt the guard-rail toward the track-rail to such predetermined extentas to secure the exact or necessary gage-distance between the tops ofthe two rails and at the same time serve to thoroughly brace theguard-rail.

With tl1ese* e11ds and objects in View my invention consists in thedetails of construction and arrangement hereinafter and more fullydescribed.

in order that'those skilled in the art to uthich any inventionappertains may know nUW to make and apply my improved guardrailbrace-plate and fully appreciate its advantages, I will proceed todescribe its construction and the manner of using the same, referring bynumerals to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan viewof the plate. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 1s adetail view showing a railroad-tie and my improved plate in sideelevation with an inside track-rail and guard rail in cross-section andsecured in proper relation.

' Similar reference-numerals indicate like parts in the several figuresof the drawings.

The brace-plate is composed, preferably, of steel or iron pressed intoshape,,w1th a flat base l adapted to rest upon and to be secure'd to therailroad-tie, and is formed with a central raised portion 2 of anypredetermined inclination terminating at its upper extremity in aprojection or shoulder 3. The base 1 extends beyond the raised portion,as shown, and is formed with spike-passages 4.

'4: for spikes, which serve to secure the, plate in roper position uponthe tie 5. Another spi e-passage 6 is formed in the plate back of theshoulder or projection 3 to receive a s ike which passes-t irough theplate and into to tie in such manner that the head embraces the base 7of the rail 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 3 the inside track-rail is designated by the numeral .9 and issecured in the usual manner to the tie 5 upon an ordinary tieplate 10 ofany desired thickness, and, as shown, my improved guard-rail brace-plateat its lower edge is of the same thicknesses the tie-plate 10, so thatthe bases of the two rails 8 and 9 at their adjacent edges are in thesame lane when said rails are of the same weig t and height; and theproper gage between the tops of said rail is secured by the predetermineinclination of the bearing-surface 2 of the brace-plate. It will,however, be understood that one of the advantages of my im rovedbracelate resides in the fact that y increasing t e thicknessorheight-of said plate and its'predetermined inclination, guard-rails oflighter weight and less hei ht than the standard track-rail may be use IWhile I have shown the brace-plate with a single and central raised andinclined bearing-surface terminating at the upper extremity in ashoulder or proiection, it will be understood that I do not W sh to belimiter in this particular and that, if thou ht desirare able, the platemay be formed wit "similar I bearing-surfaces in duplicate; and likewiseto support the guard-rail, but to also serve as the width of thebearing-surface may be in,- creased and provision made for-theemployment of a greater number of spikes.

As heretofore stated, my improved guardrail brace-plate may be used vvltrails of the present standard Weight to secure "results unattainableWithout such a'plate, and, on the other hand, the thickness of the plateand the inclination of the bearing-surface are to be determined by theheight and contour of the two rails to be used as guard-rail andtrackrail, respectively, and such plate not only acts an efficient bracefor said rail. While, as I have heretofore stated, I prefer to producemy device by pressing steel or iron plates into" the form described andshown,

I do not Wish to be limited in this respect, as said plates may be madein any other manner.

piece of. metal Wit Having described the construction and advantages ofmy improved guard-rail braceplate, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

A guard r'ail bracelate formed of a single suitable spike holes therein,and having an inclined bearing-surface for the rail, saidbearing-surface terminating at its upper extremity in a shoulder orprojection adapted to contact with the edge of the base of the rail,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of .tWo subscribing Witnesses.

GURDON MERRELL.

